Page 65
Because of all deities, I thought. They were all power-mad.
Speaking of deities, Caer wasn’t moaning at me for coming here. Uh-huh. Maybe she was saving it for later.
Caer’s hiding something…
Whatever. I slipped my game-face on, too overwhelmed with tension for any more chatting. Save the king, discuss later. Possibly tell him off for being a complete dickhead for charging into the city. But then who was I to judge? I’d been up there in the upper echelons of foolishness many times myself, especially around him.
Medusa opened a new portal, taking us to a small street around the corner from Coinheart Square.
“There’s a good spot in this building for us to check things out,” I announced. “Lessens the risk of being spotted.”
“How do you know that?” Vaughn asked.
“Unsuccessfully stalked a vampire here once,” I answered. “Lost him on the roof.”
He smirked, saying nothing.
I looked up at the sky, the first hints of dawn beginning to spill into the inky blackness. Shit. We were cutting it fine here.
I took point, going to break the lock on a side door but found it open, traces of citrus in the air.
“He came this—”
A booming voice from around the corner cut me off. “Behold me, my beautiful creations. I show myself to you. I give myself to you.”
Aidan.
Declan growled as Vaughn stepped forward to peer around the corner into the square.
“By Selene,” he whispered, pulling back to press himself against the wall.
Rather than ask him, I looked for myself.
My stomach dropped big time.
Silvanus was tied to one of the poles, held up by ropes and chains. Unconscious. His shoes and shirt had been removed, leaving him in nothing but battered, grubby burgundy suit trousers he hadn’t been wearing before.
My stomach flipped.
Aidan beamed at the camera, gesticulating. He no longer looked like Hal, wearing the shell of an extremely handsome man with sun-kissed skin and golden hair.
His true form.
“The vampire king will die as soon as the sun rises,” the deity said. “I have seen what he has done to the city. How he has burned so much, how he has slaughtered so many innocent lives.” He gave the audience golden puppy eyes.
My knuckles popped from the tension in my balled hands.
I’ll grind your face into the fucking dirt for touching him!
“I am so sorry,” Aidan continued. “But I’m here now for all of you. Put your faith in me. I am your creator, and I am the source of all love. The days ahead will be difficult, but always remember there is light in any darkness. This is the beginning of a new era, once this bloodthirsty king and his rotten kin are extinguished.” His skin seemed to glow, like gold sitting in the sunshine. “I want you to see it for yourself, to witness the new dawn.”
When in doubt, orchestrate a city’s destruction and blame it on someone else for shits and giggles.
What a dickhead.
“I know you’re there,” Aidan drawled in my skull.
I flinched, the crystal dagger appearing in response.
